February 28, 2011

With uncountable words in the English language, word games are a natural form of entertainment and unlimited in their variety. Such games are relaxing, a great form of education and a wonderful vocab builder. I play Scrabble and Words With Friends on my phone and am always discovering new words that I had no idea existed.

With Word Duelist, you assume the role of a student at Morphemial University which is the premiere school for language. In this setting, you duel with your brain to become a true star. At this "prestigious" school, students progress by defeating each other at word games. You will, in fact, see the graphics depicting the students standing at each end of a table in a college classroom setting. Challenge students and professors, and maybe even the dean!

The included games are a lot of fun and suitable for all ages and genders. A sampling of some are: Alphabetic Face Off, Alphabetize, Cypher, Finish It, First to Size, Guessing Game, Highest Point, Jumbled Word and many more. Some of the enlightening features of this great iPhone word game app are as follows:

Pick a new persona for yourself and choose one of the many themed games offered. The beauty of this game is being able to change the setting to suit the age group so you can have 8 year old to 88 year old enjoying this one unique game. Share your scores with Game Center and let your competitive spirit soar!

COOL CONCLUSION: "Word Duelist puts the fun and challenge back in word games making them personal using a cast of intelligent characters and a bevy of modes!"

Name me just one person who likes counting calories or going on diets! I can't think of one and I don't have patience to do either of those things. Life is just too short! Yet, when you use Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker, these nuisance tasks become almost painless. This app contains a large food database of more than 600,00 foods. Combine that with fast, simple food and exercise entry, and you'll be smiling real soon as the pounds disappear with not much effort on your part. The quick notes you enter serve as a great reference point to keep you motivated. Just some of the features of this calorie counter app are as follows:

- Largest food database of any iPhone calorie counter – over 600,000 foods and growing daily, with a streamlined database available offline.
- Fully syncs with the web, so you can log from your computer or your phone, which ever is more convenient. Plus your data is backed up online so you never lose it.
- Diet with your friends - add friends and easily track and support each other's progress.
- Comprehensive feature set – create your own custom foods and exercises, track all major nutrients, progress reports, customized goals based on your diet profile, recipe calculator, and more.
- Track all major nutrients: calories, fat, protein, carbs, sugar, fiber, cholesterol, and more
- Frequently used foods automatically remembered for easy access
- Save and reuse entire meals
- Recipe calculator - Enter your own recipes and calculate their nutritional contents
- Add multiple items at once
- Create an unlimited number of custom foods
- Over 350 exercises
- Track both cardio and strength training, including sets, reps, and weight/rep
- Create an unlimited number of custom exercises
- Enter your own calorie amounts – great for HRM’s or exercise equipment with calorie reports
- Track your weight, measurements and more
- View charts of your progress over time for motivation
- Daily nutritional summary with all major nutrients

With so many features that are conveniently handy at all times, there really is no reason to not pay attention to your health and fitness. I actually know of 3 people who have used this app and swear they have lost weight by it. No kidding! Visit www.myfitnesspal.com to register or do so directly from your phone. Entries are automatically synced to reflect the same information at all times. You can even have your progress proudly posted on Twitter and Facebook, if you wish.

COOL CONCLUSION: "For help with dieting and tracking pesky calories, there is no simpler method than using Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker."

Got a few minutes? Catch up on the current Tech & iPhone News. Also, see Breaking iPhone News on the home page in the right sidebar. If you're looking for more great apps to fill up your phone, check out the FREE App of the Day below.

Fun Stuff - Word of The Day: shelfware - Slang for software that is so worthless it remains in the shrink-wrapped box on the shelf above your desk. In a practical sense, it refers to any kind of software program you buy at a big box store, off of a shelf (as opposed to downloading it).

If you are strong on organization and like to maintain detailed lists of things you need, things you must do, or even things you own, List Builder will be a great inventory or itemization source for you. List Builder comes stocked with over 200 illustrated items, but you can also create or customize your lists to match the items you wish to outline.

What makes List Builder so convenient? You can email lists to a friend or family member, or even print lists directly to any Wi-Fi enabled printer! Make a list, save it, email or print it. Some of the helpful features of this list maker app include:

- Creates and saves lists
- Email lists from within the app
- Print lists from within the app (if iOS 4.2)
- Add and delete items from previously saved lists
- Check off items as they are bought or completed
- Add new custom aisles and items
- Add custom detail information to items
- Add amount needed to items in saved lists
- Reorder aisles or items by tapping 'edit' and holding down the right side of the row you would like to move.
- Delete lists, aisles and items
- Rename lists, aisles and items
- Easy to use interface and navigation

In explanation, aisles include: Produce, Dairy, Meat, Canned, Baking, Dry, Frozen, Condiments, Beverages, Liquor, Cleaning, Toiletries, Stationary, Pharmacy, and Sundries. Make lists of books, CD's, office supplies, holiday trimmings or just about anything that is buried inside a box or room. The app is so simple to use and user friendly with its customization detail.

COOL CONCLUSION: "Simplify your shopping, home and office organization experience by using the detailed List Builder to make easy and extensive notes."

Have you been enjoying great movies all year long and waiting for the Oscars to air? The wait is almost over. Tomorrow, February 27th, the grand spectacle of a show will be aired on TV during which you can gape at the stunning outfits, lavish accessories and enjoy some outlandish behavior! (Let's not forget the lengthy and disjointed speeches!) Use The Oscars app to access nominee lists, insider information on each film, viewable trailers and more. Make a prediction in each category, compare with your group of friends and share your picks through Facebook, Twitter, text and email. Get info on all the other official Academy events, and grab the latest Academy news and updates throughout the year. Some of the entertaining features of this Academy Awards app are as follows:

- Predict the winners in each 2011 Oscar category.
- Nominees List: includes valuable insider information on each Nominee.
- Trailers: View previews from nominated films, including each of the 10 Best Picture Nominees.

Check the Academy database for winners from the past. Let photos and videos dazzle you as you read current celebrity news. If you haven't acquainted yourself with the nominees yet, now's your chance to catch up on all the hubbub and gossip surrounding the winners in all categories of this great event. Grab your device and enjoy the The Oscars fun before it's over!

COOL CONCLUSION: "The Oscars® is a complete package of entertainment and enlightenment concerning movies and show business that culminates on this one dazzling night annually."

The kids love to play games of all types, but do you really want them playing mind-numbing, senseless games all weekend long? That's okay on occasion, but if you have a decent, educational game the family can play together, go for it! You'll all be able to pick up tidbits of information and have fun while learning together. That's what you can expect from Shake the States.

This is a simple but fun geography game app that all ages can enjoy as you struggle to remember the placement of all our states. Sure you learned this in school, but do you remember where each of the 50 states are located? Since your kids will be taking geography tests on the states, why not use this game to practice and get the formation down pat. Simply touch and drag one of the 50 states to its proper position on the board and it will stay in place. However, if you make a mistake you will see the state fall away. Give it a try, and see exactly how many states you can place correctly.

COOL CONCLUSION: "Shake the States will provide lots of laughs and fun for everyone as you benefit from a mini geography lesson."

Sometimes you need a little help accomplishing those goals you bravely set yourself. It's easy to let a few days go by without sticking to the parameters you have laid down. Usually, that's only because you don't have a good organizational system! Try using Motivational Calendar Lite to help you track progress for a variety of life changing items. Some of the helpful and motivational features of this motivational app are as follows:

- Create / Delete / Hide / Sort calendars
- Multiple calendars, add as many as you need.
- Set start week day
- Set excluding days
- Notes on each day
- Passcode Protect

You may ask how exactly can you use this app to improve your lifestyle and meet your goals? Well, let's take a look at some examples of things you can do.

With the easy charting of your activities, you can see what you have accomplished, and where you have fallen short. Get in the rhythm of things by consistently following your calendar plan and noting all the goals you have wisely met.

COOL CONCLUSION: "Motivational Calendar Lite is a great way to make yourself stick to wonderful goals that improve your lifestyle."

Got a few minutes? Catch up on the current Tech & iPhone News. Also, see Breaking iPhone News on the home page in the right sidebar. If you're looking for more great apps to fill up your phone, check out the FREE App of the Day below.

Fun Stuff - Word of The Day: twitterhea - A condition resulting in tweeting frequent, short bursts of the most minute daily activities, it is feeling compelled to tweet constantly about every meaningless thing you do. It also refers to the collection of tweets from a group of people about the same event, resulting in highly repetitive clumps of observations.

Don't you just hate parking meters and trying to rush through your business so you can get back to your car in time before the meter runs out! Either that, or you're parked at a massive arena or parking lot, and totally draw a blank as to where your car is situated. Honk will help you with those troubles. Honk helps you find your way back to your vehicle through a variety of methods, and also helps avoid parking tickets by displaying the minute-by-minute update of remaining time on the meter on its icon badge.

It is so easy to use Honk. Just swipe your finger across the meter to set how long you plan to park. Your location will be marked on the map, and when the time comes to head back to your car, it will honk you. On your home screen, its icon will also display the remaining minutes. Note your spot on the pad to scribble down your spot. Take a snapshot of your location and superimpose the photo on your handwritten memo. Honk has a built-in map with useful functions to easily lead you back to your parked car. Some of the features of this helpful navigation and meter app are as follows:

- Simple, intuitive interface to set the parking meter alarm. A single swipe will do for most situations.

- Honk updates your remaining time on its App Icon. A quick glance at your home screen, Honk gives you a peace of mind.

- Smooth and easy handwritten memo to further help you with marking the parking spot.

- Take a photo and annotate it with your handwritten memo.

- Honk automatically marks your parking location (GPS) when you either set the meter alarm or add a memo/photo.

- Auto-orienting map for units with built-in compass, Honk will annotate the locations with addresses.

- Accommodate many different types of meters with long (up to 24 hours) and short time limits. Adjust how Honk should issue its alarms.

Who loves sweet, yummy, multi-colored donuts? Aahh..the true question is who doesn't love a good donut and cup of coffee! In Docking Donuts, you must sell the donuts ordered. You'll be supplied with donuts one by one, and then just lay each on the tray. To earn big points (or sell donuts), just put three or more donuts together then the donuts will be sold (removed).

As time goes on, the screen will be filled with the donuts from the bottom. Sell the donuts ordered before they overflow the tray. It's very easy to control and play this match three game app thus making this a fun past-time for all ages.

Got a few minutes? Catch up on the current Tech & iPhone News. Also, see Breaking iPhone News on the home page in the right sidebar. If you're looking for more great apps to fill up your phone, check out the FREE App of the Day below.

Do you love heading to the casinos to try your hand at slots, poker, roulette or some other game? I know several people who take a gambling cruise from time to time just to indulge their love of the machines! Now you can enjoy video poker wherever and whenever you feel like playing! Whether you are a seasoned player or a complete novice, Penny Poker is the game for you.

The game includes great instructions as well as a quick reference guide to Poker Hands. With excellent graphics, audio and quick play, Penny Poker will become one of your favorite armchair casino game apps. Some of the features include:

• Retains bankroll from game to game and between sessions. Replenishes bankroll when player busts

I love the replenishing bankroll which comes in handy, and the ability to change the amount of the wager. With so many cool features and exciting games, you can have fun anytime you want pretending you're in Las Vegas without leaving home!

COOL CONCLUSION: "Penny Poker takes you on a fun card wagering ride with beautiful graphics and realistic sounds of the casinos."

I keep my phone on silent or vibrate most of the time. This is because I get a huge quantity of mail and various notifications, and the phone is always chirping which annoys some people! Yet there are times when I just can not find my phone and I go into panic mode. Because the phone is on silent, I cannot hear it even if I call it from another line. This nasty problem (if you've ever encountered it) can be easily solved with Find My iPhone!

You may not want to pay for the MobileMe services available for your iDevices. However, a friend pointed out to me that Find My iPhone though part of the paid subscription to MobileMe, is now free for anyone with an iPhone 4, iPad, or 4th generation iPod Touch. In order to use this app though, you will need to be updated to iOS 4.2. Just sign in with your Apple ID on your device and turn on Find My iPhone to enable your device to be located at all times.

If you lose your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch while on the go, simply install the Find My iPhone app on another iOS device, launch it, and sign in with your Apple ID. Note that the app must already be configured on the missing device. You could also go on the web to http://me.com and sign in to MobileMe to locate your phone that way also.

You’ll see your device’s location on a map and you can choose to have it display a message or play a sound, remotely lock the device, or wipe it to permanently delete all of your data if you think that it won’t be returned. For added security, the app will automatically sign you out after 15 minutes, or you can manually sign out at any time.

Please note that Find My iPhone enables you to locate your iPad or iPod Touch only when it is on and connected to a registered Wi-Fi network. Find My iPhone is not available in all countries.

COOL CONCLUSION: "Find My iPhone is a super handy tool to allay your distress any time you misplace your iDevice!"

If you're looking for a challenging yet easy to understand family game that will suit all ages, here's a sweet and simple game for you. TMaze will be pleasantly enjoyed by all from young child to grandparent.

The theme is about a friendly tomato who must gather orbs in order to collect points. He must do so carefully in order to avoid the menacing Pumpkins that will end the player's game life, but the Golden Orbs will be useful protectors. You will enjoy clean, simple graphics and sound, with 20 levels of fun to keep you entertained for many a happy hour.

COOL CONCLUSION: "TMaze is casual, stress-free game fun that the family can enjoy together."

Got a few minutes? Catch up on the current Tech & iPhone News. Also, see Breaking iPhone News on the home page in the right sidebar. If you're looking for more great apps to fill up your phone, check out the FREE App of the Day below.

Speed up those reflexes with a trip to the gym, a cup of coffee, a game of Hot Plates or all three! Hot Plates will keep you really occupied serving up (what else but?) plates of hot food, along with the right sauce! The problem is that these plates are flashing by you on a conveyor belt, and you've got to make sure you squirt the right color sauce on each plate! Be warned that as the game progresses, that quirky conveyor belt speeds up to near the speed of sound! Your fingers will be moving like greased lightning! Don't sweat it though because special bonus plates and power-ups can help you manage the madness. In this new version, you will find an exciting new gameplay mode, new speeds for 'Classic' mode, new achievements, Retina Display graphics, and Game Center support!

I enjoyed playing Hot Plates because although a simple enough game, it is fun, addictive and a testament to your finger speed and strength. Anyway, this game can be enjoyed by the entire family, and is Open Feint enabled so you may share your incredible scores. Alright then, wake up and flex those fingers for your entertaining, restaurant debut with the speedy and mind buzzing arcade food game app, Hot Plates.

COOL CONCLUSION: "Hot Plates is a rapid paced and addicting game which will make you hungry (thanks to excellent graphics) and keep you happily occupied at the same time!"

Today's focus is on art, photography and social networking. In other words, manipulating your photos just a little bit to create a unique effect. Oil Painting for Facebook is about turning your photos into look-alike oil paintings by using special effects.

This is a conveniently simple photo effects app that is narrowed down to doing one job. There are no complicated instructions or difficult manipulation of your photo required. This app is, therefore, suitable for all ages (big fingers and little fingers)! When you open the app, you may Load Photo From Album, Take Photo With Camera or use Default Firefox Girl. Your image will then appear with a slider bar at the bottom of the display, a camera icon for photo type selection at top left and Share option at top right. Move the slider to adjust the blurred/oil painting look of the photo, and turn your picture into an old world master oil painting. There are no fine-tune or other adjustments available. Share your transformed photo with your friends from Facebook, Twitter or send to others by E-mail.

COOL CONCLUSION: "If you like the effect of oil paintings, then Oil Painting for Facebook will create such masterpieces from your photos!"

Got a few minutes? Catch up on the current Tech & iPhone News. Also, see Breaking iPhone News on the home page in the right sidebar. If you're looking for more great apps to fill up your phone, check out the FREE App of the Day below.

Fun Stuff - Word of The Day: annotations - Notes that you can add to documents. These notes are stored on your local disk (hard drive) and are available each time you access a document. This feature is found in some Web browsers as well.

We've covered word games, puzzles, matching and memory games. How about an intriguing change? So who's looking for a new game with a bit of retro sci-fi to add to their device? Okay, we're talking space, action and adventure all packed into one app, LastStandStan. This cool, space action game app has 2 game modes available depending upon your mood!

Here's a bit of background story about the endearing Stan in this outer space, action game:

In a galaxy far away the Po'Trubians had existed in peace and tranquility, until the arrival of the Sleevils. These creatures were an evil race of mechanical droids, whose only intent was to destroy the Po'Trubian worlds and then, even worse, to multiply! For many years the Po'Trubian worlds had been defended by “Static Alien Neutralisers” (“STANs”), heavily armored, low-orbit, multi-weapon platforms able to act alone protecting their creators. Sadly, the first wave of the Sleevils' attack overwhelmed the Po'Trubian defenses destroying most STANs, and converting a few. The tide of destruction consumed all but one Single Po'Trubian world. The last hope of the Po'Trubians now rests upon an aged and battered, retired defender aptly named - you got it... “LastStandStan”!

So now you know that in this game, you are the indomitable, Stan! Let's take a look at the 2 game modes and weapons you will find in LastStandStan:

1. Campaign – Enjoy 20 Levels with a Sleevil Boss to defeat at the end of each 5th Level. In this mode, weapons are released as the player progresses through the 20 Levels.

2. Survival – Non-stop game play until Stan is defeated.
Tip: Only those weapons and features released in the Campaign Mode will be available in Survival Mode.
Weapons: Flinger Gun, Gattling Gun, Laser to name a few!

Thankfully, Stan has many powerful weapons to use against the 9 different Sleevil types and 4 Bosses.
Tip: Each Weapon will have a different destructive impact on each Sleevil type.
Weapons: Anti-Grav Repulser, EMP Blast, Last Resort Retort and more!

Your starting screen will display tabs for 4 items: Campaign (Mode), Survival, History and High Score. As you begin to play, you will see the evil ones coming and Stan bravely ready to defend. I particularly like his weapon wheel of choices and the sci-fi music that is reminiscent of the old show, "Lost in Space." The great thing to note about LastStandStan is that it's a quick and easy game to play when you find time on your hands. There are no complicated instructions to seem daunting, and the app is GameCenter ready. This is a well done, enjoyable and easy game for all the family to play.

COOL CONCLUSION: For a sizzling, outer-space battle experience, suit up as STAN, and defend your peaceful world in LastStandStan!"

--Date/Version: Released 2/11/11 - Version 1.0 --iOS/Age Rating: This app requires iOS 3.2 or later. iOS 4.0 Tested. Rated 4+.--Special Note: What can you expect in the next update? The development of Gamecenter Achievements and Help, as well as moving the Menu Button from the main game screen.--Device: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad--Developer Link:LastStandStan (GreenBean Services Ltd)--Twitter Link:@laststandstan--Facebook Link:LastStandStan

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